


Better with you

by Sorrypookie



Category: The Walking Dead, caryl - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-13
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-14 11:32:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4563003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorrypookie/pseuds/Sorrypookie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the events of the season 5 finale had happened a little differently, what if Reg hadn't been the closest person to Pete?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better with you

**Author's Note:**

> Caryl, oneshot, fluff, angst, an alternative version of Conquer

Daryl, Aaron & Morgan could hear the commotion coming from the meeting place as soon as they entered the gates. Aaron quickly shot Daryl a concerned look and hurried ahead worried about Eric and his friends in the community. As he got closer he saw Pete waving what looked to be Michone's Katana and Deanna trying to calm him. Suddenly rick advanced towards Pete and reached for his gun. In a split second Pete had grabbed the person closest to him and held the knife against their throat using them as a hostage. "Put your gun down or I'm gonna slit this stupid bitches throat" Pete yelled at Rick and held his hostage tight against him with his free arm while the other one pressed the knife tighter against her throat, forcing Rick to lower his weapon. Aaron reached for his gun, Pete's back was to him and he had yet to notice Aaron was there, he slowly raised his weapon thinking about the best way to approach Pete without anyone getting hurt when he felt someone rush past him. Daryl pushed his gun hard against the back of Pete's head "Let her go NOW" Daryl screamed at him pushing his gun harder into Pete's head. Pete didn't move "I swear if you have hurt her in any way I will break every fucking bone in your body then leave you outside these gates!" Daryl hissed at him moving the gun so it was pointed at Pete's temple and put more pressure on the trigger. Pete began to lower the knife and Daryl grabbed him pulling him off her. He caught her eye and what he saw there terrified and crushed him, then a shot rang loudly in his ear and he felt Pete fall against him before falling to the ground. He looked up and saw Rick holding the fired gun. Then all he heard was noise, Deanna was screaming at Rick and he was screaming back at her, other townsfolk were screaming and crying unsure of what had just happened. Daryl looked at Pete's body at his feet then back at Rick waving his gun around at the townsfolk yelling something along the lines of 'I told you all' then back at.....she was gone, where, how, all this had transpired in only a couple of seconds. Aaron came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder but Daryl shrugged him off, "Carol?" He asked him, Aaron looked around and shook his head indicated he didn't know where she had gone. "Carol!" Daryl yelled out but soon realised no one was paying attention, he pushed past Aaron and hurried into the street, he had to find her.

Daryl went into their house hoping she would be there. He found her sitting at the kitchen table not moving just staring straight ahead with that same look frozen in her eyes. He had seen that look before, a long time ago back in the quarry, it was pure fear. "Carol?" He said softly unsure of what to say. Suddenly she pushed the chair out from under her and pounded her fists into the table and let out a scream, then knocked a pile of dishes and pans off the bench onto the floor. "Hey it's alright" Daryl said trying to calm her. "No, no, it's not alright!" Carol yelled " I thought I could handle it, him, take control this time, I thought I was strong" "You are strong! Daryl interrupted her " The strongest damn person I've ever met" "No, I'm not" Carol said slowly collapsing against the bench "It all just came back, everything I felt with Ed, I was so scared, I had a gun I should have just shot him but I didn't I just stood there!" Daryl walked slowly over to her "He had a knife 'gainst your throat, course your gonna be scared but that don't mean your weak or helpless you would have done it if you had to" Carol sunk down onto the floor " I can't do it anymore I just can't" She cried out exasperated before completely breaking down and crying like Daryl had never heard her cry before. He rushed to her side and down next to her and she instinctively reached for him. He held her close and said nothing just let her let all the pain out. It was in that moment he realised what he had been trying to deny for so long, he loved her and she loved him. His first instinct in any kind of emotional situation was to run, get away, shut it out, not care, but all he wanted to do was let her in, take away the pain, make her happy and he didn't care at what cost to him. The way she clung to him told him everything, he knew first hand after being abused your first instinct was to shy away from all touch, not let anyone near you. He knew when Pete had grabbed her and held her like that all the memories of her abusive life with Ed instantly came flooding back so to trust him like that to let him hold her, that meant everything. He realised she had never had a chance to heal, from the pain of an abusive marriage, the heartache of losing her only child, the ramifications of what she did to Karen & David & whatever had happened with the girls. He was far from the perfect person to help her, god he was just as screwed up himself, but he would try. "Thank-you" she suddenly whispered as if she could read his mind, as she slowly sat up. "And I don't mean just for saving my life, again, but for everything, for being you" she softly smiled and caught his eyes, he kept her gaze and whispered "I'm better with you" before he even realised the words had left his mouth. Before carol could respond they heard the front door open and realised Rick and the others had come home. Daryl helped her up and lead her to her room knowing she wasn't up to facing anyone else yet. 

He went out to talk to Rick and let them know she was alright and get a rundown on everything that had happened. A little while later he knocked softly on Carol's door and poked his head around, she was sitting up in bed. "You need to sleep" he said coming into the room. "I can't" she sighed "Every time I close my eyes I feel that knife on my throat, Ed's hands on me, I see my sophia coming out of that barn, I see lizzie..." She choked back a sob. She looked up at Daryl slowly "Can you stay.... I'm better with you" she repeated his words honestly. Daryl simply nodded in reply and Carol shuffled over making room for him in the bed. Daryl removed his boots and vest and climbed in awkwardly, he had never shared a bed like this before and it was clear to both of them their relationship had taken a step forward tonight. He knew nothing was going to happen right then and there but it was the start of something new. Carol turned to face him "Thank you" she said again, "For being there for me tonight when I needed you, when I always need you, I don't know what's gonna happen after tonight but I know I...we...can get through it, together, one day at a time" she grabbed his arm and rolled back over taking it with her, then let it go, letting him make the choice if it was too much or not. He hesitated for a second then held her a little tighter feeling nervous but not uncomfortable, he heard her sniffle and felt a tear land on his arm. One day at a time she had said, to start healing, to figure out this new relationship, it would be slow but they would get there, together. He snuggled up closer to her and whispered against her hair "I'll always be there for you Carol, always". "I, you, too.." Carol muttered as she finally drifted to sleep.


End file.
